Why girls smoke: a proposed community-based prevention program.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Adolescent Health
• Nursing Practice

Background:

• Smoking initiation among teenage girls is a significant public health issue.
• Reasons for smoking initiation in girls may differ from boys, yet prevention programs are scarce.
• Addressing social influences, self-image, and self-esteem is crucial for this demographic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review literature on why teenage girls start smoking.
• To identify nursing roles and opportunities in smoking prevention for adolescent girls.
• To present a proposed smoking prevention program tailored for teenage girls.

Main Methods:

• Literature review using professional journals, texts, MEDLINE, and PROQUEST.
• Searched keywords included "smoking prevention," "tobacco use," "adolescents," and "teenage girls."
• Analysis focused on reasons for smoking and existing prevention strategies.

Main Results:

• Evidence indicates a rising incidence of smoking among teenage girls.
• A significant gap exists in targeted smoking prevention programs for this population.
• Social factors, self-image, and self-esteem appear particularly influential for girls.

Conclusions:

• Nurses can play a vital role in preventing teenage girls from starting to smoke.
• Adapting existing adolescent smoking prevention best practices is recommended.
• The Theory of Reasoned Action can guide strategies addressing attitudes and beliefs influencing smoking behavior.